Broadstairs life - its people, its places and its charm

Laura is a Registered Nutritional Therapist who helps men and women take the guesswork out of nutrition. Passionate about evidence-based health, she works with clients to uncover the root causes of their symptoms and create practical, sustainable strategies that support energy, gut health, hormones, metabolic health and overall wellbeing. Through education and realistic lifestyle changes, Laura empowers people to build healthier habits that last, without restrictive diets or overwhelming advice

You can contact Laura via www.watsonyourplate.co.uk

[email protected]

instagram: watson_yourplate

Simon gives us a brilliant insight into this years Fireworks and water Gala here in wonderful Broadstairs

BROADSTAIRS WATER GALA WEDNESDAY 29th JULY VIKING BAY AND VICTORIA GARDENS

https://www.broadstairswatergala.co.uk

A FREE fun filled family day at the seaside Sandcastle competition - prizes for all!

Thanet Coast project activities RNLI Lifeboats Paddle board lessons with Kent Surf School Children's Bandstand entertainment and activities from 11am King Neptune and his Viking team

Walkabout characters Meet the Dinosaurs at the bandstand

Broadstairs Fireworks 2026

The first display will be on Wednesday July 22nd with the amazing Mixtape Collective playing on the bandstand from 8pm.

The other displays feature music from the ever-popular Ozzie & the Uglies on Wednesday July 29th ( Water Gala finale ). Performing his high energy party set on Wednesday August 19th is Thomas Abrahams. A very special thank you to our main sponsor Broadstairs & St Peters Town Council, plus Broadstairs & St Peters Chamber of Commerce, Thorley Taverns and other sponsors ( to be announced ) and the volunteers that help to make these events possible.

https://www.broadstairsfireworks.co.uk

Author Zoe Antoniades moved to Broadstairs in 2025 as she loves to write by the sea. Zoe was born in West London of Greek Cypriot parents. She has taught and worked as an Arts Leader in the London boroughs of Hounslow and Lambeth, collaborating on a wide range of creative projects in partnership with cultural venues such as the Southbank and the Young Vic. Zoe provides creative writing workshops for young people through which she has published four anthologies of short stories as Invincible Voices. Zoe has also written a memoir, Tea and Baklavas, which won the Winchester Writers’ Festival Memoir Prize. Now signed with Andersen Press, Zoe is the author of the hilarious and heartwarming series about twins, Cally & Jimmy. There are four books in the series so far: Twins in Trouble, Twintastic, Twins Together andTwinseparable which she also narrates forAudible. Zoe gives lots of author talks and loves visiting schools and appearing at libraries, bookshops, festivals and events, nationwide and even in Cyprus. Please do get in touch with Zoe if you’d like her to visit you too.

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @zoeantoniades

Facebook: @zoeantoniadeswriter

YouTube channel: @zoeantoniades589

Below is a link to a GoogleDrive folder containing downloadable resources useful for planning for and following up author events with Zoe https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1lWMa7CcV_LlVSCLxg0kVvt8hJOhY30Yj?usp=drive_link

Kai Folk Week Director gives us an insight into this years Folk Week event here in Broadstairs

7th-14th August 2026 visit Broadstairs Folk Week https://broadstairsfolkweek.org.uk viist here for information on events venues and tickets

With decades of experience in the music industry, both in the UK and abroad, Kai M. Hoffman the Festival Director since 2024. Her multi-faceted background includes detailed, high-end artistic programming, social media marketing and events management at venues including Ronnie Scott’s Club in London, where she ran a monthly club night residency for eight years involving dancers, multiple live bands and DJs (2008-2016).

Kai founded Herne Bay Jazz Festival in 2017, now in its eighth year. As director of this multi-day, 35-event festival,

Kai has overseen seven successful years of performances including many top names in the industry, with support from Arts Council England. Highlights at Herne Bay Jazz have included, in 2024, a New Orleans parade, a professional live stream from a dedicated Youtube channel, ticketed shows at The King’s Hall and over 30 free performances from duos to big bands at venues all over the town. As a performer and bandleader herself, Kai has performed at venues including the Barbican, Royal Festival Hall, Royal Albert Hall, Ronnie Scott's, London Jazz Festival, European Jazz Expo and the Blue Note, Milan with groups ranging from duos to large orchestras with chorus. Kai’s connections with folk music run deep. Born in western Massachusetts,

Kai was brought up on Americana and met Pete Seeger when she was just four years old. Her uncle Marty Hoffman wrote the music to Woody Guthrie’s famous ‘Plane Wreck at Los Gatos;’ Kai recorded Jim Croce’s ‘Time in a Bottle’ on her 2012 album Do It While You Can. Having studied classical music around the world, including the Royal College of Music in London,

Kai has extensive knowledge of music history from the Middle Ages onwards, and has a deep love of English and World Folk Music which she is excited to bring to Broadstairs. Kai is very much looking forward to continuing the Broadstairs Folk Week legacy of performances, workshops, dancing and seaside charm.

Broadstairs Folk Week https://broadstairsfolkweek.org.uk viist here for information on events venues and tickets

Sue give us a fascinating insight into another part of Broadstairs History. An important part of the charm of Broadstairs & St Peter’s is the wealth of fascinating buildings which preserve the unique history of our town. In today’s podcast, we talk to Sue who has been actively involved in the Broadstairs Society project to update a register of all our local Grade II Listed buildings. These range from the inspiring 11th Century Parish Church of St Peter the Apostle to a row of humble 19th Century wash houses. Included in this register are Lord Holland’s famous follies, elegant 18th Century mansions, distinctive local pubs, several red telephone boxes and lots of quirky flint buildings.

The History of the Bells of St Peter-in-Thanet Church

St Peter’s church has had bells for over 600 years, but it is not known exactly when they were first installed or how many bells there were. A single bell was in the south east corner of the church and it is said that there are signs of wear caused by a bell rope on the wall of the present Lady Chapel. St Peter’s present tower was built in the 15th century at the north west corner of the church, but nothing is known about the bells until the mid-eighteenth century when the parish registers record that the bells were recast from 5 to 6 between 1754 and 1757.

The Bells of St Peter’s

John Mockett records in his Journal some work done on the bells both during his time as churchwarden at the end of the 18th century and when his father Elijah was churchwarden some years earlier. In 1777 the fourth bell was recast and put up when Elijah Mockett and John Stainer were Churchwardens.

In 1798, John Mockett tells us “The parishioners having appointed Mr Thomas Paine and myself churchwardens for St Peters, we put up a new tenor bell, in consequence of the former having laid, for some years, useless.” The churchwardens’ accounts tell us that the bell was transported by boat to and from Mears’ Whitechapel Foundry and the bill for the recasting was £32.15s.9d.

The bell ringers meet to practise at St Peter’s on Mondays from 7:00 to 8:30 pm with a special session for beginners from 6:30 to 7:00 pm. New ringers are most welcome to come along and learn how to ring. If you have ever thought you would like to learn to ring, why not come along to on a practice night to see what is involved. You can be any age from early teens onwards and it doesn’t require particular strength. For further information, please contact the Bellringing Captain using the form opposite/below.

https://stpeterinthanet.org.uk/c/bell-ringers/

Justine- I was born and raised in Broadstairs and have always appreciated and lived our little town by the sea. As a youngster I spent most weekends out on my dad’s fishing boat. At school my two loves were sport and art. I did a pre degree in art, lived in Australia for 18 months then came back and became a graphic designer for the creative print shop. Later I taught art and craft at the Thanet college and left to have my daughter Daisy in 2003. I started my decorating business in 2016 which I still do, but it now encompasses the mural work which the creative being inside me really enjoys.

My other passion is musical theatre and I have performed in all of our local theatres for over 35 years.

Daisy Foster, a singer and dancer from Broadstairs, discusses her life growing up in Thanet, her return after studying in the city and her career and aspirations for working within the performing arts industry.….

Sarah is a local breastfeeding counsellor who is dedicated in supporting mothers with their breastfeeding journeys.

Sarah cares deeply about up to date information and informed choice- whilst cheering on the mothers (and babies) she works alongside with.

Instagram:

@sarahbfsupport

Website: https://sarahturner1.wixsite.com/specialist-breastfee

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/share/1BAbgJSUPd/

​BradARA is a social club based in Broadstairs, Kent, open to local men and women who are retired or semi-retired.

We provide members with opportunities to make friends and engage in activities through attending regular meetings, and joining in with outings and social and cultural events.

BradARA is a satellite group from the well-established TARA (Thanet Active Retirement Association) which has been running since 1983. We are affiliated to the Kent Active Retirement Association (KentARA) which has 84 club branches throughout Kent (click on the crown at the top of this page to learn about the King's award given to KentARA).What We Do BradARA holds monthly meetings for all of its full members on the first Tuesday of the month throughout the year at 10am in the Memorial Hall, High Street, St. Peters, Broadstairs. There is a monthly guest speaker, chosen to be both interesting and entertaining for our members. There are also many social events throughout the year

https://www.bradara.club

Broadstairs Sailing Club provides a range of training, dinghy sailing and racing activities from its base at Broadstairs harbour on the North East Kent coast. The Club has a well appointed clubhouse with bar, kitchen, changing rooms, training room and a lounge with panoramic views overlooking Broadstairs Viking bay.

Broadstairs SC is essentially a dinghy racing Club but there are opportunities for members to train and take part in rescue boat, race and Club management.

The Club welcomes new memberships from experienced and non-experienced families, couples and individuals. Broadstairs Sailing Club is run entirely by the membership, with no professional staff, so there are always opportunities to get involved in sailing and non-sailing aspects of the Club and quickly feel that you belong.

A varied programme of social events runs throughout the year from the formal Dinner & Dance to informal suppers, quizzes and the annual prize giving. The clubhouse is open every Thursday evening, Sunday lunchtime and Saturday afternoon during the sailing season. Members are updated of all club activities through the email issued e-letter called “The Burgee”

https://www.broadstairssailingclub.com